Michigan child-welfare providers ask appropriators to close funding gaps for foster care, adoption and independent-living programs

Representatives of the Michigan Federation for Children and Families and two of its member agencies told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services that state contract rates and workforce supports are not covering the actual cost of child-welfare services and urged lawmakers to fund adoption supports, close a foster care funding gap and add cost-of-living adjustments to provider contracts.

The testimony, given to the subcommittee by Katie Prowt, chief strategy officer of the Michigan Federation for Children and Families, Jason Schroth, chief operating officer at Wellspring Lutheran Services, and Julie Thomasma, chief executive officer at Child and Family Charities, emphasized that budget decisions for the Department of Health and Human Services affect services statewide and the nonprofit organizations that provide most of those services. "Every budget decision that you all and your colleagues are making echoes through the lives of Michigan's children," Prowt said.

Providers asked the subcommittee for several specific funding actions. The Federation supports the governor's executive budget recommendations for $4,900,000 in adoption support services and $1,900,000 for Independent Living Plus programming for older youth;…